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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. track — a path
  4. cue — for pool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. date — the fruit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cue — a hint
  17. track — a song
  18. fork — in a road
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fine — high quality
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com